With less than a month until Selection Sunday, Sporting News will take a near-daily look at the teams whose NCAA Tournament credentials have yet to be solidified.

Missed opportunities

Bryce Cotton (AP Photo)

Villanova 82, Providence 79 (2 OT). The Friars now are 17-10 overall, No. 62 in the Ratings Percentage Index standings and just 2-5 against the top 50. This was the type of game that could have squeezed the Friars into the back of the field.

Kentucky 84, Ole Miss 70. The Rebels never were in this game, and their star player wanted little part in it. Marshall Henderson took a frustrated swipe from behind at a UK player advancing the ball, then acted like he was the aggrieved party as he moved to the bench with a second first-half personal. Ole Miss is 16-10, 77th in the RPI, 1-4 against the top 50. The Rebels will have to force their way in again.

Taking care of business

St. John’s 77, Butler 52. The surging Red Storm won their sixth consecutive game to improve to 18-9. They are 52nd in the RPI but still only 1-5 against the top 50, so they’ll need to perform well in upcoming games against Villanova and NCAA contender Marquette.

Tennessee 67, Georgia 48. No matter the Bulldogs’ position in the SEC standings, a bubble team absorbing a home loss from them would be problematic. That never was an issue for the Vols, now 16-10 overall, 51 in the RPI but just 2-6 against the top 50. They’ve got not much other than “business” left on the schedule, with No. 39 Missouri the only solid RPI opponent before the league tournament.

Bubble vs. Bubble

Clemson 73, N.C. State 56. The Pack (16-10) took a second consecutive road loss, and this one perhaps even more damaging than the one they allowed to slip away late against Syracuse. Though holding the No. 57 RPI position, they’re 0-7 against the top 50. Clemson (16-9) is 70th in the RPI and probably could benefit if the Pack were to go on a run and get their RPI rank up.

George Washington 73, Richmond 65. The Colonials improved their overall record to 20-6, 3-3 against the RPI top 50 and probably could climb out of this column altogether if they were to win Saturday at Saint Louis. Richmond probably needed this game to have any shot to continue in the race, but if it closed with an unlikely 5-0 sprint—which would include VCU and Dayton as victims—the Spiders would have a pulse.